"MAGNETlC LOOP OR COLLAR"

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a magnetic loop or collar able to contain and hold furnishing accessories for domestic use, such as curtains or suchlike, but also for articles of clothing, such as headscarves or suchlike. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is known, at present on the market there are holding elements for curtains made in the most various and different ways, also according to the type of components to be held.

Among attachment and holding elements for curtains, drapes or suchlike, there are some that comprise elements of a magnetic type, generally used in combination with laces or wires, made according to diverse concepts.

The disadvantage found with these solutions is that the attachment of the curtains is limited, and does not for example allow them to be applied on fixed parts.

Moreover, there is no possibility provided of such elements being able to be used on clothing accessories, such as for example for holding headscarves, scarves or suchlike.

Purpose of the present invention is to devise and produce a magnetic loop or collar able to contain and hold furnishing accessories for domestic use, such as curtains and suchlike, in a non-restricted manner, for example also allowing application on fixed parts, but also for articles of clothing, such as headscarves or suchlike, which is extremely simple in concept.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purpose, a magnetic loop or collar according to the present invention is able to contain and hold furnishing accessories for

domestic use, such as curtains or suchlike, but also for articles of clothing such as headscarves or suchlike.

According to a feature of the present invention, the loop or collar substantially consists of a strip of fabric, leather, imitation leather or other material suitable for the purpose which is 'presented in a closed configuration so ^' as to define a substantially annular structure and which comprises magnetic means associated with said strip, advantageously associated or constrained stably and securely to said strip.

According to one form of embodiment, the magnetic means is applied on the external side or the internal side of the strip.

According to a variant, the magnetic means is applied visible.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic means is attached or constrained by gluing to said strip, on the external side or the internal side of the strip, closed in a ring.

Alternatively, the magnetic means can be at least partly hidden from sight,

For example, the magnetic means is at least partly incorporated or drowned inside the strip. For example, according to the type of material used to make the strip, the magnetic means can be inserted under pressure,, or incorporated directly into the material at the moment the strip is made, or housed in a seating made in the thickness of the material of the strip or other similar or equivalent solutions,

Or, according to another form of embodiment, the loop or collar comprises at least a pocket, applied or made on the strip, which houses the magnetic means.

The strip of fabric, leather or imitation leather or other material suitable for the purpose is first affected by the definition of the pocket and then, at a second moment, is closed to obtain the substantially annular structure.

According to one embodiment of the present inventions the pocket is equipped with an aperture through which the magnetic means is inserted.

The magnetic loop or collar according to the present invention is therefore made ui a single piece using a band closed in a ring.

According to a first variant, a closing means is applied to the aperture of the pocket.

Advantageously, the closing means is of the type that can be selectively opened and closed, for example Velcro or suchlike.

Alternatively, the closing means is of the type that closes definitively, such as a stitch or suchlike.

According to a preferential embodiment, the magnetic means comprises at least a magnet or other magnetic element suitable for the purpose.

The loop or collar can be either of a flexible version or of a rigid or stiffened version or with rigid elements.

In the version where the collar is flexible, it assumes the form of a substantially flexible ring. ϊn the other solution, where the loop or collar is rigid, it is formed by several joined parts.

According to one embodiment, the joined parts that make up the rigid loop comprise a first plate, two central plates and a closing plate. Preferentially, the closing plate comprises a seating to house a magnet.

The rigid loop comprises a band or sash which can in turn be equipped with magnetic elements possibly contained in respective pockets also equipped with Velcro closing or suchlike.

In this case, therefore, the sash part can in turn contain one or more magnets disposed in suitable pockets, so as to further increase versatility. ,

Advantageously, the materials used to make the bands or loops according to the invention can be of any type and have the most diverse aesthetic effects.

The present invention can also provide application in the loop of other pockets to carry the magnets, on both the internal and also the external side.

According to another form of embodiment, the loop or collar has at least an eyelet, which can typically be open, or stitched, horizontal and/or vertical, or median or transverse, according to necessity.

Another embodiment provides two eyelets, or even more.

Advantageously, the loop or collar provides the insertion of an ornament, ribbon or suchlike in one or both eyelets.

The eyelets can also be used for clamping or attachment to a hook element provided on a fixed element, such as a. wall, frame or piece of furniture.

According to another embodiment, the loop or collar has at least a tongue or protrusion with an eyelet on at least one of its edges, tops or ends.

According to another form of embodiment, the loop or collar comprises two

mternal pockets, facing each other, advantageously in a substantially central position, wherein at least one of said pockets houses a magnet or equivalent magnetic means, whereas the other pocket houses a ferromagnetic element or another magnet.

The two magnets, or the magnet and the ferromagnetic element, are able to cooperate by means of mutual magnetic attraction so as to define, in a closed or "lock" configuration, two lateral sliding seatings, through which a cord or tie is able to slip or pass, able to assume a ring conformation, for example of the type used for regulating, attaching or draping curtains, possibly with a tassel at the other end or anyway to tighten or fix articles of clothing, such as headscarves or suchlike, but also skirts, dressing gowns or other articles of clothing which need to be tightened, regulated and/or draped so as to be worn or to obtain a determinate aesthetic effect when worn.

Another variant embodiment also provides a supplementary pocket, internal or external, in which a perfumed pad can be inserted.

A system to contain and hold furnishing accessories for domestic use, such as curtains or suchlike, but also articles of clothing, such as headscarves or suchlike, also comes within the field of the present invention, and comprises at least a magnetic loop or collar and another holding element, between which said furnishing accessories for domestic use are positioned, in order to determine the desired magnetic attraction, which can be a holding element containing a ferromagnetic body able to cooperate with the magnetic loop or collar or, more advantageously, can be made like said magnetic loop or collar,

The application of the magnetic loop or collar according to the present invention is quite simple and it can cost much less than known holding elements.

The magnetic loop or collar elements according to the present invention can give a better aesthetic result, given that it is possible to use a vast range of patterns, colors and materials with which they can be produced.

Given the extreme versatility of the magnetic loop or collar according to the present invention, it will also be possible to tie up curtains and drapes, but also articles of clothing such as headscarves and suchlike, thus making it possible to follow the fashions and trends of furnishing with very low costs and simply by changing the forms, colors and decorative patterns.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the magnetic loop or collar for furnishing accessories according to the present invention can also be part of a series, so that, for example, in the same room it may be possible to use the loop in aesthetic combination with other furnishing objects since it will also be possible to use the system to hold other furnishing objects and elements in common use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein;

- fig. 1 is a schematic perspective representation of a magnetic loop or collar according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a view of the magnetic loop or collar element according to the present invention shown from the side;

- fig. 3 is a schematic and perspective view of a loop made of substantially rigid material and able to comprise a band;

- fig. 4. shows the. loop in fig. 3 in separate parts;.. . , . . .. ,

- fig. 5. is a section of a variant, of .the loop or collar according to the present invention;

- fig. 6 is a front view of a variant of the loop or collar according to the present invention;

- fig. 7 is a front view of another variant of the loop or collar according to the present invention;

- fig. S is a section of another variant of the loop or collar according to the present invention;

- fig. 9 is a plane view of the variant in fig. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF

EMBODIMENT

With reference to the attached drawings, number 1 denotes a magnetic loop or collar according to the present invention, which substantially consists of a strip made of fabric, leather, imitation leather or other material, sμitable fqr tire purpose, which is first affected by the application of a pocket 2 and then, at a second moment, is closed to obtain a substantially annular structure.

As can be seen in the attached drawings, the pocket 2 is equipped with an aperture 22 (shown for convenience only in fig. 5), in which a closing system is applied, of the type using Velcro or suchlike, indicated by 3. ■

Inside the pocket 2 it is possible to introduce a magnet 4 or other element of a magnetic type suitable for the same purpose. It is clear that the pocket 2 can also house more than one magnet 4, possibly associated with a ferromagnetic element.

In the version where the collar is of the flexible type, it assumes a form substantially like a flexible ring, as can be seen in the versions shown in figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 3 and 4, on the contrary, show a loop of the rigid type S, which in this case consists of several joined parts,, as shown in the exploded view in fig. 4.

More precisely, the rigid loop 5 consists of a first plate 6, two central plates 7 and a closing plate 8.

The closing plate 8 comprises a seating to house a magnet 10.

Fig. 3 shows the rigid loop 5 which comprises a band or sash (such as for example a wide band of fabric that can be wound) which can in turn be equipped with magnetic elements possibly contained in respective pockets also equipped with Velcro closing or suchlike. In this case, the rigid loop 5 can be substantially shaped like a figure 8.

According to another variant, the loop or collar 1, or its variant rigid loop 5, can comprise (fig. 5) a. ferromagnetic element 14, such as an iron plate, coupled directly with the magnet 4, then inserted into the relative pocket 2, or indirectly cooperating with the magnet 4, then housed in a pocket adjacent to the pocket 2. The ferromagnetic element 14 is able to be disposed between the magnet 4 and the body, curtain, ornament or other as described above, to which everything has to be attached, so as to reduce, deaden or attenuate the magnetic attraction effect, which can thus be modulated according to necessity.

According to another form of embodiment, the application of more magnet- holding pockets is also provided, both on the internal side and the external side of the collar or loop 1.

It is also provided that the sash part can in turn contain one or more magnets, for example disposed in suitable pockets, so as to increase the versatility of the present invention.

According to another variant (fig. 6), the loop I can have one or more eyelets 11, made on one or more of its sides.

The eyelets 11 can be horizontal or vertical, and can have the function of holding or clamping, for ¹ example to a pin, hook or other, for example attached to a wall, door, window, piece of furniture or other furnishing element, The eyelets 11 are also useful for inserting into them an ornament 13, a ribbon, floral elements or other decorative elements.

Or, additionally, the invention may provide (fig. 7) to make tongues or protrusions with an eyelet 12, located at one or more corners, having any form whatsoever depending on aesthetic requirements, or depending on the support or also according to commercial requirements.

As we said, the closure of the magnet 4 inside the pocket 2 can be guaranteed by the Velcro elements 3 which selectively close the aperture 22 and which therefore allow the temporary closure of the pocket 2, and allow the magnet 4 to be removed, or the pocket 2 can be completely stitched on the four sides, so as to close the magnet 4 definitively inside the pocket 2, or again the pocket 2 can have a free aperture 22 which is not closed, either temporarily or definitively.

Another variant, shown in figs. 8 and 9. provides to make two internal pockets 2a and 2b, in a substantially central position, which can be selectively closed as described above, and in each of which a respective magnet 4a, 4b is housed.

In this way, with the loop or collar 1 in an annular configuration, by pressing and bringing together the central parts where the two pockets 2a, 2b are provided, there is a mutual magnetic attraction between the two magnets 4a, 4b, defining two lateral sliding seatings 15a, 15b through which a cord 16 or tie can be made to pass, of the type used in regulating, fixing and draping curtains. The cord 16 is wound in a ring and inserted into the loop or collar 1. In this way we have a lock- type configuration in which, by making the magnetic collar slide along the cord 16, a first aperture 17 is defined, for example for inserting a hook, and a second aperture (functioning as a tie proper), only sketched in the drawings, to hold the curtain.

With this variant it is possible to use two loops or collars 1, each having its own cord 16, which are selectively and releasably constrained to each other by means of magnetic attraction, so that it is possible to insert the curtain into the

ties and determine the desired configuration for the curtain, while at the other end of the cords 16 a tassel may be provided, or other similar ornament which, for example, closes everything,

Another variant, not shown in the drawings, provides to make a supplementary pocket, internal or external, into which a perfumed pad may be inserted.

The materials used to make the bands or loops according to the invention can be of any type and have the most diverse aesthetic effects.

The invention may be two-colored, or have several colors, and can be used on both sides, internal or external by turning it over, that is double-faced.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the magnetic loop or collar as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention,

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve other equivalent forms of magnetic loop or collar, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.